In typical radio communication, communication is carried out by selecting any one communication channel in accordance with a communication condition in the surroundings among a plurality of communication channels prepared in advance. In such radio communication, connection should be established by search by a plurality of communication devices for a communication channel which can be used among them.
For example, a method for establishing connection by transmission by a communication device of a search request signal (a probe request) to other communication devices by broadcasting and transmission by another communication device that has received the probe request of a search response signal (a probe response) to the communication device which has transmitted the probe request has been known.
When data is transmitted and received between communication devices, connection should be established in advance by using a probe request and a probe response.
The present disclosure provides a configuration allowing exchange of various types of data in a relatively simple procedure without establishing connection in advance among a plurality of game devices.
An exemplary embodiment provides a game system that includes first and second game devices. Each of the first and second game devices includes a communication function for communication by using any one communication channel of a plurality of predetermined communication channels. The first game device switches from a first communication channel being used to a second communication channel other than the first communication channel and broadcasts a frame including data, and switches back to the first communication channel and continues original communication after broadcasting. When the second game device receives the frame through the second communication channel, it performs processing of the received frame.
The first game device may immediately switch back to the first communication channel after it broadcasts the frame, without communicating with a game device which receives the frame.
The first game device may switch again to a third communication channel other than the first communication channel while it continues the original communication and broadcast the frame.
The data in the frame may include information on a game application executed in the first game device, in which communication is used.
When the second game device is executing an application different from the game application executed in the first game device, it may simultaneously present information on the game application included in the received frame together with an image of the application being executed.
The second game device may present information based on the data included in the received frame.
The second game device may switch to the first communication channel based on the received frame and communicate with the first game device.
The first game device may broadcast the frame also through the first communication channel.
The second game device may scan a frame broadcast from the first game device independently of an application being executed.
The first game device may suspend communication by unicast or multicast and broadcast the frame.
Communication through a communication channel may be carried out between a game device functioning as a master and a game device functioning as a slave. The first game device may broadcast the frame whether it is any of the master and the slave.
The data in the frame may include information on the first communication channel.
The data in the frame may include identification information on a communication group to which the first game device belongs. The second game device may determine whether to use the data included in the received frame based on the identification information.
When the second game device newly receives a frame including data different from the data included in a previously received frame, it may perform processing of the newly received frame.
An exemplary embodiment provides a non-transitory storage medium encoded with a computer readable processing program. The processing program is executed in a game device including a communication function for communication by using any one communication channel of a plurality of predetermined communication channels. The processing program causes the game device to switch from a first communication channel being used to a second communication channel other than the first communication channel and broadcast a frame including data. When another game device receives the frame through the second communication channel, it performs processing of the received frame. The processing program further causes the game device to switch back to the first communication channel and continue original communication after broadcasting.
An exemplary embodiment provides a processing method performed in a game device including a communication function for communication by using any one communication channel of a plurality of predetermined communication channels. The processing method includes switching from a first communication channel being used to a second communication channel other than the first communication channel and broadcasting a frame including data. When another game device receives the frame through the second communication channel, it performs processing of the received frame. The processing method includes switching back to the first communication channel and continuing original communication after broadcasting.
An exemplary embodiment provides a game device. The game device includes a communication function for communication by using any one communication channel of a plurality of predetermined communication channels and a function to switch from a first communication channel being used to a second communication channel other than the first communication channel and broadcast a frame including data and to switch back to the first communication channel and continue original communication after broadcasting. When another game device receives the frame through the second communication channel, it performs processing of the received frame.
An exemplary embodiment provides an information processing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a mode setting module for setting any of a first mode for operating as a master device and a second mode for operating as a slave device, a communication control module for communicating with another information processing apparatus in a mode set by the mode setting module, and a frame transmission module for suspending communication being carried out by the communication control module and for broadcasting a frame including data regardless of whether the mode set by the mode setting module is the first mode or the second mode.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the exemplary embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.